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Bobcat

Several of you have bobcats that you use for loading. I have checked prices on several on craigs list and I dont know what one is good and what is bad. Seen a 2006 175 for 5700 a 743B for 9k, 2004 S185 for 5700. What do I look for.? Do I need side-shift on the mast? Any advice would be great.

Re: Bobcat

This could start a lively discussion but one like this was our primary machine for quite a few years and I would highly recommend it as a starter machine because of its versatility. http://www.machinerytrader.com/listi...?OHID=7930249& Bought it new for about $20,000 and it has been trouble free for about 800 hours now and is still worth about what I paid. New Holland pioneered a unique lift design (since copied by Bobcat) that is more of a horizontal lift not requiring nearly as much tilt adjustment as one that simply pivots on a single point. It in effect lifts up and away at the same time. New Hollands have a lower center of gravity and are much more stable on rough terrain than a Bobcat. You probably dont want a rated capacity of more than around 1700 lbs. (which is far below the actual tipping weight depending on how far ahead of you your center of gravity is situated) as they get a bit large and heavy to pull around. I have never seen one of these fitted with a mast nor would I recommend it since you would lose a lot of the versatility of a machine that you could quickly switch between attachments (primarily pallet forks or a bucket) in less than a minute. Side shifts are not needed on a skid steer as you can develop tremendous side pressure quite easily with the independently controlled clutches for each side. The non turbo charged Kubota deisel engine in mine is incredibly fuel efficient using approximately 1 1/4 gallons per hour. The Bobcats fitted with a mast and "crazy wheel" that are so popular are a great machine but are strictly forklifts and nothing more.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: Bobcat

Originally Posted by EastSideBuzz

S Seen a 2006 175 for 5700 a 743B for 9k, 2004 S185 for 5700. What do I look for.?

Watch out for scam Bobcat adds. The $5700 sounds familiar to a scam add that runs here on Craigslist year after year. It is a fancy add with a click here to contact me area. The S models are the newer style, the B represents some kind of lighter than normal duty. I have a S185 and it has been a good machine. $5700 for a 2006 S185 sound unrealistic.

Re: Bobcat

Originally Posted by odfrank

$5700 for a 2006 S185 sound unrealistic.

With a trailer for 5700 and several attachments was a crazy price but, I dont know what they really cost. My original plan was for a swinger but, that is 30k. So I was thinking back up plan for a skid-steer. I have a L4350 Kubota tractor and that is too big to haul around. 20k is a bit much also. So I am back to what is a good price for them. Is there a kelly blue book of skid steers?

Re: Bobcat

753's and S-130's make great machines. anything bigger than that is just heavier and requires bigger trailers to haul them. try to avoid wider wheelbases also as it just makes it harder getting around the bee yard

Re: Bobcat

Originally Posted by EastSideBuzz

So there is a 453 mini is that too small?

A mini would probably work only for the limited application of moving hives with a small flatbed. It probably wouldn't have the lift height or capacity needed to load larger trucks. A traditional Bobcat style machine does give up some lift height to a masted machine but that can be easily overcome by loading short stacks of pallets as long as you have a high enough lift capacity. You rarely set a single pallet high on a load even if you have a mast because small adjustments are magnified at heights and visibility becomes more limited as well. I would suggest nothing less than a 9' lift.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney

Re: Bobcat

we use older 610 bobcasts masts and tail wheel. i think they work great except for the unexpected break downs. my question for you guys that operate these huge machines is how do you get used to having way more power then you need. i mean i drove a big brand new gehl the other day and when sitting in that thing i would never even know if i just ran over a whole pallet of bees the **** thing is so big and heavy and powerfull. i like sitting on the 610 seeing clearly in all directions moving around on soft ground with out tearing it up. towing behind the truck and barely feeling it. those big machines seems like your bring a bull to a chicken fight. (if thats even a saying!!)

Re: Bobcat

Originally Posted by jim lyon

New Holland pioneered a unique lift design (since copied by Bobcat) that is more of a horizontal lift not requiring nearly as much tilt adjustment as one that simply pivots on a single point. It in effect lifts up and away at the same time. New Hollands have a lower center of gravity and are much more stable on rough terrain than a Bobcat. You probably dont want a rated capacity of more than around 1700 lbs. (which is far below the actual tipping weight depending on how far ahead of you your center of gravity is situated) as they get a bit large and heavy to pull around.

Ditto what Jim says. Although I use them for construction and not too much for my bees, I have had three New Hollands over the last 25 years. Very stable and reliable. I think you need to be looking at hours, service performed, and type of treatment any potential machine has had. Also like Jim says, you do not need to lift that much weight with the bees, stability is more important, especially at higher lift heights. The boom design on all the New Hollands, and now some of the other machines, have that. I would guess a NH LS160 would have most of the capability that you would need for bee work.

Re: Bobcat

So My mentor uses a Moffet. He advises against me getting a bobcat but, I am thinking that it is a safe starter lift. I dont think he ever worked with a Bobcat. I hear it beats the crap out of you and is harder on the bee's because it is so rough. I figure after the first couple years I should be able to invest in a Hummerbee or Swinger without breaking the bank. Plus the Bobcat can be used for other things. Thanks for giving me size ideas. Keep the info coming. I use crazedlist so it does larger areas of craigs list.

Re: Bobcat

I have a friend who has a cpl different makes of machines. A Gehl, something else I believe and Bobcats. One of which is on tracks. I can't wait to see it first hand. I hear they are more stable and don't tear up the ground as much as wheeled machines do.

Re: Bobcat

I'm remembering what someone told me (perhaps on Beesource) that a downside with tracks is that when going over any type of drop off when you reach a balance point the machine will quite abruptly tip, makes sense I guess. Perhaps that is minor and the smoothness of the tracks outweigh that disadvantage, find out and let us know.

"People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe."- Andy Rooney